


Piggy-back

by justiceandspiders



Series: yakulev week (2016) [3]
Category: Haikyuu!!
Genre: Hurt/Comfort, M/M, i don't know yaku is sad, lev is sad too
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2016-08-14
Updated: 2016-08-14
Packaged: 2018-08-08 19:04:14
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,519
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/7769497
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/justiceandspiders/pseuds/justiceandspiders
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>“I’m afraid you might not be able to play in the nationals."<br/>-<br/>Yaku's injury after the Nohebi match is worse than he thought. Lev feels bad about the whole thing.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Piggy-back

**Author's Note:**

> day 3 / hurt/comfort

“I’m afraid you might not be able to play in the nationals. We need to give you as much time as possible to heal your ankle, and if you play between now and the nationals, you’ll just make it worse.”

It took Yaku a few minutes to actually take into account what coach Naoi was saying. It was safe to say that making it to the nationals was Yaku’s dream ever since he began playing volleyball, and even more so now with the team he’s grown so attached to. To be told that he wouldn’t be able to play in the nationals? It made Yaku’s chest hurt.

“No, no way that’s going to happen. I’ll be able to play in the nationals, coach. It’s only a small fracture! It’ll take just a few weeks to heal.” Yaku reasoned, the only thing on his mind being ‘I will play at nationals with Kuroo and Kai’.

“Yaku, these things take time. I’m sorry - I really am – but you need to give your foot time to rest.” Naoi seemed saddened to bring the news, but all he was saying was what the doctor told him. After Nekoma’s win against Nohebi in the qualifiers, Yaku was taken to the A&E unit to make sure he hadn’t made any serious damage to his leg, but luck didn’t appear to be on his side when the tests were done.

The majority of the team were waiting outside the building. Only three of his teammates could wait inside – they still needed the room for other patients after all. So that was why Kuroo, Kai and Lev were waiting rather impatiently inside the waiting room, all three glancing at the room they brought Yaku into just under an hour ago every few minutes.

Lev was the first one to stand up when the door opened, the first person to come out being coach Naoi, followed by Yaku, now using a pair of crutches as Naoi held the door open for him. Lev was already on his way towards Yaku when he was yanked back by a pair of hands he turned to see belonged to Kuroo, who was shaking his head. 

“Don’t. He’ll come here when he’s ready. Let’s not overbear him.” He said calmly, though Lev was fairly certain he could see just how badly Kuroo wanted to go over there to see how his friend was doing.

Just as Kuroo finished speaking, Yaku was just finishing talking to Naoi, looking over towards the trio. He didn’t smile; lips in a thin line as he walked over to them. His eyes were red and slightly blotchy, and to anyone it was obvious that he’d been crying. It only made the worry from his teammates grow even more.

“Coach said I won’t be able to play in the nationals.” Yaku said quietly, looking down at the ground. He rubbed at his eyes, then looked back up.

The three looked at each other with a mutual feeling of both sadness and sympathy for Yaku. Kai cleared his throat, and smiled warmly, hand reaching to rest on Yaku’s shoulder. “Nationals are two months away from us. I’m sure with the required sleep and rest you give your ankle, the sooner you’ll be able to join us for practice again.”

Kuroo nodded along helpfully, a smile appearing on his face – if just to help cheer Yaku up. “Right. If I catch you using that leg of yours within this month, I’m gonna give you even more of a reason to be in that cast.” He said jokingly of course, although Yaku just seemed to breathe out heavily, fingers flexing and relaxing against the crutches. “But seriously, Yaku. You’ll be able to play. It was our dream, remember?”

“I know that!” And that’s – that’s why I’m even more upset about this whole thing.” He moved past the three, and towards one of the seats where he sat himself down, crutches set to rest against the seat. “I want to play. And I want to play now. If I don’t practice for a month… Even two weeks, what use would I be?”

“Then you can watch practice for the time being. If the doctors are saying you can’t practice, I’m not one to go against their orders. I want you to play.”

Again, Yaku breathed out just as heavily as before, one hand rubbing on his temples while the other arm was folded on the armrest. Kuroo and Kai both looked at one another, then nodded. Kuroo nudged Lev, who through the whole thing was fixated on the cast fixed around Yaku’s foot with a sad expression on his face. He knew for sure that Yaku had badly damaged his foot in the match, but to actually see it this bad, and know that it could stop him from playing in the nationals, well. Lev was at a loss for words.

Lev almost jumped at the sudden nudge, and he rubbed his arm – not that it hurt in any way. He did however take the hint, and he took the seat next to Yaku while Kai and Kuroo walked out of the building, presumably to inform the teammates of Yaku’s condition.

“Yaku-san is always able to save the game. No matter how far the ball goes, or how fast it is spiked, Yaku-san will always find a way to just be where the ball is.” Lev began, looking directly in front of him. He didn’t dare try to make eye contact just yet, afraid of seeing any hint of disappointment or even worse, resentment towards himself. Taking a moment to wet his lips, Lev continued. “When we were playing against Nohebi, I knew for sure that we were going to win. I thought that for all of the ones we played against though! After all, we had the amazing Yaku-san on our side!

“But… I think I relied on Yaku-san too much to save all of my mistakes.” He took a quick glance at Yaku to see if he was listening, and sure enough, Yaku was now facing Lev. But what his eyes showed was not disappointment or resentment, but a fondness. His eyes were still slightly red, though that didn’t stop the smile on his face from growing. Lev stopped himself for a moment, far too distracted by Yaku because he didn’t look angry at him! No, he looked happy and he shouldn’t be. 

“Yaku-san, I just wanted to say-“

“I know. And for the record, I don’t blame you at all. So don’t be sorry.”

Lev stared at Yaku for a few moments. Because did Yaku really just say he didn’t blame Lev for what happened? Part of him was almost certain that the whole thing was his fault. It was due to his block that Yaku had to move so far out to save the ball – so why wasn’t Yaku blaming him?

“I don’t blame you, Lev, because you did so well in the match. It’s not like you meant for me to step on that guy.” He said, leaning back in the chair and wrapping his hands around both armrests.

“I – I know! But it still happened, and if my hands stretched just a little bit more—“

“It could’ve saved it, but it didn’t. And it’s done now.”

Lev sat silent now. He knew that arguing with Yaku was a lost cause, so he looked down at his hands now resting in his lap. Of course, he could see what Yaku was saying, but it didn’t mean Lev still didn’t feel bad about it. Yaku watched Lev quietly, then stood up – carefully – and picked his crutches up. Instead of using them for guidance however, he put both under one arm.

“Lev. Get up.” He said, Lev looking up at him with a confused look on his face. He stood up anyway, and Yaku then gestured for Lev to turn around. He put the crutches across the chairs, hands on Lev’s shoulders. “Lean down a little.”

Oh. So that’s what Yaku was suggesting! Lev nodded, bending his knees to allow Yaku to climb onto his back, Lev’s arms immediately there to hold his legs up, cautious not to move his broken ankle too much. Yaku wrapped his arms around Lev’s neck, loose enough not to strangle him but also enough so he could keep himself up. “Okay, now turn around so I can pick up my crutches.” Lev did as Yaku told, bending down enough for Yaku to stretch down and pick up the crutches, which he held with one hand.

“This is so you can stop feeling bad about the whole thing. Like, you’re making up for it now.” Yaku said, resting his hand on his underclassman’s shoulder. “Take us out to the others?”

A blush appearing on Lev’s face, he smiled, hiking Yaku up a little so he wouldn’t start slipping down, and he started to walk out of the hospital. No one questioned why Yaku was on Lev’s back in the first place, even when he continued to carry him all the way back home.

**Author's Note:**

> liiiittle bit shorter than the other two but hey ho
> 
> scream with me about yakulev on tumblr at sylvanaswlndrunner


End file.
